Back To School: Get Organized!

After a long, hot summer, it's time to start preparing to head back to school. The start of a new school year brings with it a desperate need for reorganization. As daunting as it may sound, however, organizing your home can be fun and easy if you do it right. Just follow this guide on how to organize your room and you'll be done before you know it.

Entryway

An organized entryway leads to an organized home. Built-ins or storage containers go a long way to organizing an entryway. Include a welcome mat for wiping shoes and separate hooks for backpacks and jackets. Labeling names above a hook or a shelf can help family members find a place for their things, making it easier to locate lost belongings.

Closet

Similar to an entryway, an organized closet leads to an organized bedroom. After a crazy, fun-filled summer, a closet is bound to be a mess. Take all the summer clothes and separate them from the school clothes. Organize your closet like you would your bureau. Divide it into sections for school, play and other activities. Again, labeling can help to keep track of where everything goes.

Kitchen

A kitchen is one unexpected place you may want to consider getting ready for back-to-school. Every kid has their own likes and dislikes, favorite snacks and lunches. Organize your kitchen by meal and by family member. Assign a shelf to each family member and store their favorite snacks on the corresponding shelves. Keep all the breakfast foods in one area of the kitchen, maybe next to the toaster or coffee machine. Keep after-school snacks and lunch foods separate in order to make morning routines easier and stress-free.

Bedroom

Bedrooms are one of the most difficult rooms in the house to keep clean and organized. During a school or work week, waking up early and looking for something to wear can cause a room to explode. Get organized ahead of time to keep the stress levels low and your room clean. Lay out or plan the outfits for the week, including shoes and accessories. Invest in a hamper to hold all the dirty clothes that pile up over the course of the week. Lastly, make the bed or at least make it look made. It may seem old school, but a made bed can make a huge difference in any room.